I’m surprised it hasn’t been much remarked upon (perhaps understandably since his poll standing confers him to the back of the back of the pack), but clearly the lost opportunity of the evening was Huntsman raising his hand with the gazillion other Republican presidental candidates refusing to accept a deficit reduction deal that was 10:1 in spending cuts-to-tax increases. He got some traction as the “serious candidate” for being the only Republican candidate on record for supporting the deficit ceiling deal, but now much of that “gravitas” has been lost. I didn’t watch the debate, but it sounded like Huntsman was nervous, and maybe be raised his hand in an instinctive peer pressure moment. I wouldn’t be surprised if today. the campaign is ruing the missed opportunity and the candidate kicking himself.
UPDATE: An Andy Sullivan reader agrees.
I see the point, but in a Republican primary race, can it ever be a good idea to say you’d support taxes under any circumstances? Legend has it that Grover Norquist can smell blood in the water from miles away.
I guess I’m operating under the theory that Huntsman is positioning himself for a future run, say 2016. He really doesn’t have a chance in 2012, and I guess you’d argue that if he’s going to run as the apostate moderate (civil unions, etc), he might as well go all the way. Then again, he’s also backed the Paul Ryan budget, so maybe he’s a true believer…